garber



Dec. 17, 1929.

L. B. GARB'ER ELECTRIC SIGN CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Dec. 27. 1927 4 .a n 4 M w, q- M 4 M I A4 HM- a 4 'n w o w 'W W m W w a f ,0 .0 I I M M M /M/ M 19 i M 1 1.1 a! g INVENTOR B .Sm fbaxbm,

Patented Dec. 17, 1929` inne sarsis LTJ'IS IB. GARBER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC-SIGNsCONTROL MECHANISM Application file December 27, 1927. Serial No. 242,711.

This inventon relates to an electric sign control mcchanism and has for one o f its objects the provision of a simple and inexpensive device for i'egulating the lighting of electric bulbs in a predetermined sequence.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a device for controlling` the illumination of an electric sign comprising a master roller adapted to simultaneously control the excitation of lamps of sign letters and lamps of a sign border. t

A still further object of my invention is the provision of adjustable mechanism for controlling the illumination of an electric sign adapted to be adjusted for producmg vdifferent and vai'ied effects in the sequence of intervals of'illumination of the bulbs of the sign letters and the bulbs of the sign margin. Other objects will appear hereinafter,the novel features and combinations being more clearly set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view of my improved electrical sign control mechanlsm.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 including a wire diagram of the electrical hook-up.

Iig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan'view of a further development of my invention.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional end view of the form of niy invention illustrated in Fig. 3.

Referring particularly to the drawing, the numeral 10 designates a casing preferably comprising` insulating` material. A partition 11 is disposed lengthwlse across the 1n terior of the casing dividing the same into a front and rear compartment. Clock mechanism designated generally by numeral 12 of the usual construction is monnted in the rear compartment and is Ineshed with a gear 13 rigidly mountedon a shaft 111 which is eX- tended transversely of the casing 10 and is journaled in apertures in the rear and front walls 15 and 1G, respectively thereof. vAny suitable driving mechanism such as an electric motor, not shown in the drawing, may be used in place of the clock mechanism. It should be understood that the clock mechanism 12 is adapted t-o rotate the shaft 14 at a predetermined rate of speed.

A drum 17 is rigidly mounted on the shaft 14 betweenV the partition 11 and the front wall 16. The drum 17 comprises electrical conductive material and is provided with enlarged segments 18 of insulating material disposed in. the periphery thereof. Shafts 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 are rotatively mounted at their extremities in bearings 25, 26, 27 and 28, respectively, which are slidably engaged in vertically disposed slots in the front wall 16 and in the partition 13. Discs 29, 30 and 31 are rigidly mounted on the shafts 19, 21 and 23 respectively, and are engaged at their periphery4 against the periphery of the master disc or drum 17. The discs 29, 30 and 31 also comprise electrical conductive material. Grinding rollers 32 and 33 are rigidly attached to the shafts 20 and 22, respectively, the grinding roller 32 being engaged against the peripheries of the discs 29 and 30 and the grinding roller 33 being engaged against the peripheries of the drum 17 and the disc 31.

It should be understood that the slidably mounted 'bearing members in which the shafts 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 are mounted permit the discs and grinding rollers to be' held firmly in contact with each other by virtue of the tendency of the parts to move downwardly under their own weight as the peripheries wear. v

In Fig. 2 of the drawing a wire 34 is electrically connected at one end to the shaft and drum 17 by means of a brush 35 mounted on the casing 10 and engaged againstf the shaft 14-. The other end of the Wire 311 is electrically connected to one terminal of a source of electrical supply indicated at436. A wire 37 leading from a plurality of lamps 38 of a letter of a sign which are connected in parallel, is electrically connected to the other terminal of the source of current 36. The lother wire 39 of the letter battery of lainps is electrically connected bya wire 40 to the shaft 21 and the disc 30, the wire -tO being attached to the bearing 26. It should be understood that the above described construction is such as will permit an electric circuit through theV lamps of the. letters of the sign to be ntermittently closed and opened as the disc 30 alternately engages the metallic portion of the periphery of the drum 17 and the insulation material thereof.

The border of the sign comprises a group of lamps 41 connected in parallel between the wires 42 and 43 and a second group of lamps 44 connected in parallel between the wires 45 and 46, it being understood that the one of each of the lamps 41 of the first mentioned group is disposed between two adjacent lamps 44 of the second mentioned series. It should also be understood that any desired combination of colored lamps may be employ'ed in the two series. The wire 43 of the first mentioned group of lamps is electrica'lly connected to the source of current 36 and the other wire 42 is electrically connected to the shaft 23 and the disc 31 by attachment to the bea'rin g 2B th'er'eof. It should be understood that the above desc'ribed construction is such as will cause the Circuit through the group of lanrps 41 to be closed when the periphery of the disc 81 engages the metal portion of the dru'm 17 and to be open when the disc 31 eng'ages the insulation material 18 thereof.

The Wire 46 of the second mentioned group of lamps 44 is electrically connected to the source of current 36 and the other Wire 45 of the second group is electrically connected with the shaft 19 and the disc 29 by attachment to the bearing 24 thereof. Then the disc 209 engages the metal portion of the periphery of the drum 17 the circuit through the second group of lights 45 is closed and when the disc 2,9 e'ngages the insulation of the dr'u'm 17 the circu'it is open, it being understood that the disc 29 engages the metal portion of the drum 17 when the disc 31 is in contact with the insulation thereo'f,` and that the disc 31 engages the metal portion of the drum 17 'when the disc 29 is in contact 4with the vinsulation of the drum. The above described arrangement is such as will alternately cause excitation of the lamps of one group land of the lamps of the other group.

'In the modified form of my invention illustra'ted in Figs. 3 and 4, the drum 17' comprises two sections 47 and 48. The periphery of the section 47 is provided Wit-h enlarged segments 18' comprising insulating material and the section 48 has a metal periphery throughou't its entire circumference. The drum 17' is slidably mounted on square section 49 of the shaft 14' and is adapted to be engaged at its peri'phery by the peripheries of the discs 29', 30' and 31' mounted on the shafts 19", 21' and 23'. As shown in Fig. 3, the disc 30' is disposed over the right hand edge portion of the dru'm section 47 and the discs 31' and 29' are dispos'ed over the left hand portion of the drum section 47. Vhen it is desi'red lto have all the light's of the b'order of the sign lighte'd permanently the drum 17' may be shifted to the right as viewed in F ig. 4 so as to cause the periphery of the discs 29' and 31' to engage the integral metallic periphery of the drum section 48 while retaining the disc 30' in contact with the periphery of the drum section 47 so as to have the lights of the letters of the sign flashed on and off.

For the purpose of manually shifting the drum 17 from one position to another, a ring 50 having a groove therein is rigidly attached to the drum 17' and is engaged by a. fork member 51 which is inounted in the groove. A rod 52 is attached at one eXtremity to the fork 51 and is slid'ably mounted in an aperture in the frontwall 16 of the casing 10. The rod 52'extends through the aperture and is provided with a notch adapted to be engaged the spring catches 54 and 55 mounted on the ou'ter and inn'ei` sides of the wall 16 for retaining the drum 17 in predetermined positions.

The drum 17' may be automatically shifted 'from one position to another for Varying the sequence of the excitati'on of the lamps of the border of the sign by a cam member 56 mounted on the shaft 14' having a groove 57 therein into which the upper end of the threaded projection 58 which is adjustably threaded in the block 59 mounted on the rod 52 cxtend's. It should be understood that the projection 58 may be extended into the groove 57 of the cams 56 when desired by screwing the same upwardly. w

lVhile I have described that my invention is mainly used as a flasher, it is to be understood that I reserve the privilege to use the same as an automatic timer to start and stop the fiashing of the signs' and also other purposes.

Having thus fully shown and described an embodiment of my invention what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a device of the'class describcd, a drum mounted on the shaft of a. driver clockworlt, and consisting of a front section with alternate insulation and conductive segments completely around its perip'hery and a rear section completely conductive around its periphery, a plurality of conductive discs rotativelyl mounted and contacting with the drum, said drum beingr arranged for sliding on a square portion of its supporting shaft 'so that in one position all the said discs engage the front section of the drum and in a second they engage the real' section of the drum, the con- Aductive portions of the drum, and the discs being arranged for connection for controlling electrical circuits including electric sign lamps. ayring With a cam groove mounted on the shaft supporting the drum, and a fork member engaged in the groove and connected for automatically moving the drum in seq'uence from one to the other of the stated posi'tions.

2. In a device of the class descriloed,l a drum mounted on the shaft of a driver clockwork, and consisting of a front section With alternate insulation and conductive segments completely around its periphery and a rear section completely conductive around its periphery, a plurality of conductive discs rota tively mounted and contacting With the drum, said drum being arranged for sliding on a square portion of its supporting shaft so that in one position all the said discs engage the front section of the drum and in a second they engage the rear section of the drum, the conductive portions of the drum, and the discs being arranged for connection for controlling' electrical' crcuits including electric sign lampa, and a means for moving the drum from one to the other of the stated positions. In testimony Whereof I have aflixed my signature.

LOUIS B. GARBER. 

